Residence Card – EEA

If you are the non-European family member of an EEA or Swiss national, and you have come to the United Kingdom with your EEA family member, you can apply for a Residence Card. This is a document which confirms your right of residence under European law. Your Residence Card may take the form of an endorsement in your passport or it may be a separate document called an immigration status document. A residence card is normally valid for 5 years from the date when it is issued.

Providing the correct documents for a Residence Card application can be confusing if you don’t understand the rules. This is because the document list depends on the way the EEA national exercised their treaty rights over the past 5 years. If you are unsure what you need to apply for your Residence Card contact our office and we will be able to offer professional immigration assistance.

Residence Card – What Next?

When you have lived here for a continuous period of 5 years with the EEA or Swiss national (who must have been in employment, self-employment, studying or self-sufficient in the UK throughout the 5 years), you can apply for confirmation of your right to permanent residence in the UK. A Permanent Residence application can take 6 months to process so it is advised you apply as soon as possible to avoid disruptions to any travel plans.